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arrived, Salibhadra was to break his fast for a month. So, with his head bent low, he sought permission from Bhagavān Mahavira to move into the city to beg. Said Bhagavān Mahāvira.
"You go and receive food from your mother's hand".
Salibhadra came to his mother Bhadra. Bhadra was busy in her own business and did not pay attention to the monk. Other members of the household did not recognise him. Salibhadra returned empty-handed. On the way, he met a milk-maid who carried a pot of curds on her head. When she saw the monk, she felt a sponteneous affection for him. A spark of thrill ran through her body, and milk flowed out from her breasts. She requested the monk to accept some curd from her. The monk accepted it and returned to the shelter. After he had broken his fast, he made the following submission to Bhagavan Mahavira,
"Bhante ! You asked me to receive food from my mother's hand in order to break my fast. How is it that it did not materialis e"?
Said Bhagavān Mahāvira. "Salibhadra ! You have broken your fast with food received from your mother's hand. The milk-maid was your mother in the previous birth".
On the same day, with the permission of Bhagavān Mahāvira, Sălibhadra went up the Baibhāra hill and courted fast unto death. Meanwhile, Bhadra came to Mahavira's congregation. From Bhagavan Mahavira, she got a complete account about her son from the time he visited his former home in order to beg food to break his fast till now when he was on a fast unto death. The mother's feelings for her darling child are easier to imagine than state. At once, she rushed to the hill and went up. She was completely overwhelmed and shaken to see the ematiated frame of her son, now dedicated to death by a fast. She began to cry aloud. King Bimbisara spoke words, to console the mother's grief and took her back home.
Having discarded his mortal' frame, Salibhadra became a god in heaven. He had started the life on the pinacle of wealth and affluence; but when it closed, he was on the pinacle of restraint and renunciation.
